Scaling the heights on their own

The smiling faces of the 50 women taking part in the Kartini Climb this year belied their determination to reach the top of 2,958-meter-high Mount Gede in West Java.

Organized by the GRESPALA nature lovers group to observe Kartini Day, which fell on April 25 in commemoration of the Indonesian women's rights pioneer, it was the fourth annual climb. Participants came from Bandung, Jakarta and Yogyakarta.

On a theme of "the spirit of Kartini, independent women", the participants -- including six policewomen from the Jakarta Police and two women who have climbed the Himalayas -- set out in the morning and reached Suryakencana field in the afternoon, where they set up their tents and camped overnight.

And then the climb began. The biggest smile of all -- one of joy, relief and pride -- was saved for the moment when they set foot on the peak.

-- Text and photos by P.J. Leo